Cash Out

The fat man’s sunglasses across the table shifted, and he burst into a scornful laugh:

– You really think you’re going to win this hand? The AI has already calculated every outcome. Time to fold, buddy. There’s no place for you in the new world of poker.

Detection methods kept becoming more complex, more expensive – and, after years of struggle, the casino gave way, allowing the use of algorithms during play.

Only one rule remained unchanged:

Randomness is guaranteed. It is impossible to know the next card for certain.

And yet, the fat man’s words inspired an irresistible confidence. Indeed, to know the chance of victory, all you had to do was glance at the monitor. At the neighboring tables, sensible players would quietly fold their cards the moment they saw the percentage. The game began on the display board, and ended there as well.

The predictions seemed so precise that not a single game in recent months had ended in a showdown. No one took risks anymore. It seemed that the cards had stopped mattering, and numbers ruled everything.

Probability was reflected in the sunglasses – 7%. The man sitting opposite the fat man looked at his cards, then at the table. With a tense smile, he pushed a stack of black chips forward.

– Raise.

For a moment, behind the dark lenses, surprise flashed in the fat man’s eyes.

With a brief motion, the dealer placed the next card on the table.